


Runaway

by AndABottleOfRum



Series: Runaway [1]
Category: Savages (2012), Savages - All Media Types, Savages Series - Don Winslow
Genre: ALL the tags, All things eventual, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ben's oblivious, Chon's an asshole, Chubby OFC, Curvy OFC, Drug Use, Drugs, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, Foursome - F/F/M/M, It's weed, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Multi, Ophelia's being Ophelia, Oral Fixation, Oral Sex, Polyamorous Pack, Polyamory, Recreational Drug Use, Resolved Sexual Tension, Runaway, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Threesome - F/M/M, Weed, did I mention canon divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-07-15 04:12:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7207382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndABottleOfRum/pseuds/AndABottleOfRum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>run·a·way<br/>ˈrənəˌwā<br/>noun<br/>a person who has run away, especially from their family or an institution.<br/>synonyms: fugitive, escapee; refugee; truant; absconder, deserter</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Zero

**Author's Note:**

> I know next to nothing about Laguna Beach. Nor do I know much about weed. Or running away. So if something doesn't make sense, then it is what it is. I do not own any of the "Savages" characters. Just the original ones.

I ran away from home. I ran to escape my reality. No, I didn’t run from a horrible situation; two parents that love me, four siblings who would just about take a bullet for me or throat-punch someone because they looked at me funny, and a best friend I consider my “ride-or-die” who knew all about my running away and didn’t exactly try to stop me. I ran to escape my routine life and all the worries and anxieties and depression. But, yes. I ran away from home. I,then a 22-year-old woman, ran away from home with a weekender, a contingency plan, and $1,000 cash.

Most people go to Las Vegas, Miami, New York City and the ever popular Los Angeles to just get lost and have a little fun while they’re at it. Not me, though, seeing as my poker face is laughable and my talent’s not that extraordinary, none of those places were for me. So I bought myself a one-way ticket to Laguna Beach. “Why Laguna?” I don’t know but I did. I took a chance, a leap of faith, if you will.

My name is Anissa Marie Rios and this is my story. A story of how meeting one beautiful stranger turned into some of the best months of my life. I can’t tell you if there was a happy ending or if it all went to hell. You’ll have to see this through to the end. Before I begin, I’ll leave you with this:

**Love isn’t easy and people aren’t perfect.**


	2. Un

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anissa arrives in Laguna Beach and meets 1/3 of the Savages trio who will give her a place to stay as she begins her adventure(?). (She doesn't know what this is and frankly neither do I. )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this OC will be using social media in almost every chapter.  
> YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

She watched as the scenery outside the window changed. Every now and again, she’d check her phone just to see what time it was. She steadfastly ignored texts sent from family members though she did reply to those sent by her best friend. The best friend who knew what she was doing and where she was going and may or may not have helped her at some point. Yes, Anissa could always rely on Jazmin. Theirs was a friendship groomed and cultivated for 10 years.

This was probably both the dumbest and smartest thing she’d ever done. To date, anyway. She was still young. All of 22 years and yet she still had that sparkle in her eyes, like she hadn’t been disillusioned by the world completely yet. If Anissa was honest-and I do mean _honest_ -with herself, she was actually relieved; relieved to get away from that house and its cream-colored walls, away from the family who meant well but never stopped hovering like buzzing bees. She was never afraid of breaking with her family. She was afraid of snapping.

She’d decided a year ago that she had been sheltered enough. It was time to throw herself into the real world. And Laguna Beach, California was where she’d sink or swim. Never mind the fact she knew no one in Laguna. She’d have to rely on her own judgement and gut instincts. She’d have to find a motel, too. She hoped she could afford one. _Probably not_ , she thought to herself. She supposed that bridge would be crossed when she got there. _Only 600 miles to go._

∞

Anissa exited the bus along with her fellow passengers, collected her bags, and stood off the side as to not disturb anyone. She mulled over what she would do next.

“Anissa?”

 _Great, my conscious is catching up to me already_ , she thought to herself. **_Or it could be an actual person, you idiot_** , her conscious answered. She took note of a guy standing to her left. He was a whole foot taller than her with a mop of brown curly hair, piercing blue eyes, and an upturned mouth surrounded by what seemed to be effortlessly neat facial hair. _Wait, how does he know my name?_

“How do you know my name?” she asked.

His type didn’t exactly roam free back home after all. He took a step closer to her and held out his hand.

“I’m Ben,” he informed her as they shook hands, “Carlos told us you would be coming to Laguna for a while and that you needed a place to stay.”

Anissa was surprised Carlos would do something like this. Then it seemed to make sense seeing as she was best friends with his sister after all.

“How do you know Carlos?” she inquired.

“We work in the same…field?”

He sounded a little apprehensive as he finished his sentence. She knew what he meant when he said ‘field’. Weed was a pretty common thing to come across. Truthfully, she wasn’t against it. Her younger brother smoked it as well. She just wasn’t about to jump on the band wagon. She let herself smile.

“I get it, I get it.”

Ben visibly relaxed.

“You wanna get going? There are some people who want to meet our new guest.”

Anissa understood that. Who the hell wouldn’t want to meet the complete stranger that was going to be staying in _their_ home? She was an outsider so she readied herself for whatever reception she would receive. He glanced at her lone bag.

“That all you brought with you?”

“Yeah. I don’t exactly know how long I’ll be here and anything bigger than this would have been a _little_ suspicious.”

He gave her a look then. That look people get when they don’t understand why someone in their 20s would have to do things in secret. Most people think when you turn 18 that that’s it, you can do whatever you want. That isn’t the case in a Hispanic household where the most common statement is, “You live in my house; you’ll follow my rules, _y punto_.” Hispanic parents don’t give a damn if you’re legally of age. You want to go out with friends? Got to ask the parents first and you better be home before sunup. You’re going on a date? Bring him over so your dad can put the fear of God into him. You’re moving out? When’s the wedding? They do give good advice though.

“It’s kind of a culture thing.”

He made a noise of acknowledgment then they started the short walk to his car.

∞

“This is your car?”

“It’s a Tesla.”

A 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport to be exact. To go from Fords and Chevrolets to Teslas and God-know-what-else was an eye-opener for Anissa. She wasn’t in Texas anymore. She inhaled the ocean air as she got in the passenger seat of the white Tesla. Nope, definitely not in Texas. He started up the car and looked to see her buckled in, her bag and purse sitting at her feet. He pushed a button to make the roof retract. Both slid their sunglasses on as Ben pulled out of the parking space.

. The sketchy bus station gave way to beautiful beaches and boutique storefronts. Her hair blew in the wind, swirl of dark brown. _This is gonna be hell to detangle_ , she absentmindedly thought.

There was a voice in her head that admonished her trusting for a virtual stranger, for getting in his car. This man who had visible tattoos: one on his arm and another on the right side of his neck; this man who sold and probably smoked marijuana and whose housemates probably did as well.

 But there was also another voice who was tired of the mundane. It sounded a lot like her. That other voice got louder as they entered a residential area.

 _Holy shit this is real_ , she thought, _mom and dad are definitely going to be pissed._

Anissa snapped a picture of her bag at her feet and posted it on her Instagram then took another to put on Snapchat. She fired off a group message to her family, informing them that she was okay and would be home some. She also promised her mom she’d call her when she got settled. She opened the WhatsApp messenger and sent Jazmin a message telling her that she arrived in Laguna Beach safely. Anissa also told her to thank her brother.

Ben pulled into a long driveway and they both looked at each other for a quick second. Her phone vibrated violently as the house came into view, surrounded by greenery. She couldn’t even see the walkway to the front door. He put the car in park and shut the engine off. Anissa tried not to feel anxious standing by the car. Ben seemed to sense her hesitation and tried to lighten the mood.

“Chon isn’t so bad once you get to know him. O is more accepting of new people.”

_Ben, Chon and O._

He took the lead, looked back to make sure she followed, and gave her a small smile.

_Breathe, Anissa. It’s time to meet some new people._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short. (So is the OC. She's 5'0-5'2) Next chapter will be longer. Fingers crossed.


	3. Duex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day in a strange place comes to an end in Laguna. Chon's apprehensive, Ben's going with the flow, O's relaxing, and Anissa's sleeping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ - Anissa  
> α - Chon  
> ○ - Ben  
> ◊ - O

Anissa felt like a child again, like it was her very first day of pre-kinder. She vaguely remembered that day, the first day of middle school, and high school. The horde of butterflies ran rampant in her stomach.

As they neared the front door, she heard voices: a gravelly male one and the other a softer female one. She found it weird that the door was wide open but it was a pretty hidden house. Also not the type of neighborhood that has the occasional drive-by. All the houses she’d seen before they pulled in were private with mini jungles that provided ample privacy for three-story houses.

“At least give her a chance. You don’t even know her,” the female said.

“Yeah, neither do you,” the male replied gruffly, “or Ben.”

She had been staring at the hard wood flooring.

 _He has a point there but that’s still rude as hell_ , she thought as she and Ben entered what was the living room. _Why the hell is everybody in Laguna attractive? Is it the water?_ The first thing she noticed was the male half of the duo was clad in just a pair of board shorts. His tattoos were in full view but her focus was on his face which was not exactly a happy one. He stood as tall as Ben with cropped hair, stubble, and _intense_ hazel green eyes. The equally tall blonde standing next to him smiled as soon as she laid her eyes on Ben. She was the epitome of Californian beauty, from the blonde hair, to her blue eyes and sun kissed skin. _Well, this house is going to do wonders for my self-esteem. **Oh, hello, sarcasm.**_

Anissa was brought out of her musings by Chon’s loud voice.

“She looks like a kid, Ben!”

A squeak -yes, squeak- of indignation came from Anissa unbidden but Chon continued.

“How old is she?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly before she turned to look as Ben then glanced back to Chon and O.

“How old do you think I am? Ballpark.”

Ben was the only one who spoke.

“17?”

“I’m 22 actually,” she informed the trio, “17 was a good year for me, though.”

Chon still looked skeptical but he opted for walking out into the backyard. O smiled apologetically. Ben sighed. Anissa knew it would take some time for Chon to warm up to her. After all, she knew exactly how untrusting she herself could be.

“You’re probably tired from that bus ride.” O said and hinted to Ben.

◊

The pair walked upstairs while O went outside. She found Chon in sitting in front of the pit.

“I still don’t like this.”

O leveled a stare at him, which surprised the hell out of Chon.

“Give her a chance,” she said, “Carlos hasn’t given Ben a reason not to trust him. And Carlos knows this girl enough to trust her _here_.”

He let out a loud exhale then.

“I hope you’re right about that.”

∞

Ben led the way up two flights of stairs to what would be her room. It was located just to the right of the stairs.

 Dark wood double doors opened up to a bedroom furnished simply but beautifully. The sun shone through the picture windows that lined the wall to her left as well as the wall opposite the bedroom door. There was a decidedly huge platform bed made of whitewashed wood, a mandala carved into the headboard. A loveseat was placed in the far corner of the room. While the furniture was sparse, Anissa appreciated the general beach vibes she got from what little décor was in the room. Just random little trinkets put randomly atop the simple dresser by the door that, she surmised, led to the bathroom.

“I hope you like _this_ ,” Ben gestured around the room, “O helped pick most of it.”

“She also helped with the rest of the house, then,” Anissa stated.

“Yeah. How did you…?” His brows furrowed a bit.

“No offense but guys know jack about interior decorating and even less about the importance of the right color.”

They both laughed at that.

Ben got serious for a second.

“I noticed you’re wearing a medical bracelet. If it’s not too personal, what is it for?”

_Well, no use in lying. God only knows what will happen while I’m here._

“I have a chronic autoimmune disorder called ITP. It’s been well-controlled for the past year,” she assured him.

He didn’t know he was holding and both smiled at the other.

“You should probably get some sleep. Those bus rides aren’t really conducive to that.”

Anissa confirmed his inference when she yawned unexpectedly.

He shut the door quietly behind him.

She meandered through the room, looked out the windows, and admired the seafoam green of the walls. As she did this, she thought about all the people she’d left behind in that small Texas town. She banished that thought from her head as she removed her sandals. Her feet touched cool hard wood flooring. She wondered if she should take a bath before she actually took a nap or slept forever.

○

Ben mulled over the revelation from his conversation with Anissa. He wondered if that seemingly devil-may-care attitude was a façade, if everything was truly fine. He assumed she’d dealt with it for a _long_ while with the way she spoke of it.

He descended the stairs, intent on finding his two favorite people. Well, one. He found Chon on the computer. It didn’t look like he was up for chatting so he continued his descent. He found O taking a hit from a pipe in the living room. She looked up at him and smiled.

“Catching up on her sleep?” she asked after a quick peck.

“Yeah,” he replied as he pulled her to him.

Ben wondered vaguely how Anissa felt about a relationship like the one he, Chon and O had.

∞

 Anissa walked out of the bathroom fresh from a shower and dressed in what she called sleep clothes: a rather well-loved old MCR tank top and a pair of black shorts. She also decided it was best if she slept with a sports bra on too. She scrolled through Facebook, Instagram, and watched a few Snapchat stories. She ignored her unopened text messages. She flopped down or rather jumped onto the bed. Anissa rifled through her purse and found her old IPod Nano. She popped in her headphones to listen to some music as she drifted off to sleep. She stared at the ceiling as she laid on her back. Her eyes closed while music lulled her into unconsciousness. She wondered about the weird vibes she got from the trio, like there was something there. Not bad weird, just as if there was a secret she had yet to learn.

A few hours later, she blindly reached for her vibrating cellphone without a thought to who might be on the other line. She seemed to have forgotten where she was in her sleep-ridden state.

α

While Ben and O were off getting reacquainted yet again, Chon ran a search on Anissa Marie Rios. She looked harmless enough but he just couldn't leave this alone. All her social media was public, she even had a Twitter.

Her Facebook timeline was an odd mix of sarcasm, humor, and philosophical quotes. He could tell she loved her family, if the cover photo was anything to go by. He went through it all.

○

Ben walked up the stairs to see what Chon was doing. He was not all that surprised. Ben gave him a look that looked exactly like O’s.

“Happy?”

“Yea,” Chon grumbled.

They heard a feminine frustrated groan come from their guest’s bedroom. After about a minute, she walked out. She held her phone as she descended the stairs.

Ben watched her in the same manner he _knew_ Chon watched her. The pair of French braids that lined either side of her head gave her this bit of innocence, the way she never once lifted her head meant she never took an uncalculated risk, but the minute she looked up her eyes seemed like they belonged to someone just a little bit older.

∞

She blinked owlishly when she caught sight of Ben and Chon who were looking at her.

_Do I have drool on my face or what?_

The pair laughed.

She felt her face heat up. It got worse once she realized Ben didn’t have a shirt on and neither did Chon. She made sure she didn’t let her next thought wasn’t blurted out.

_Bless Laguna Beach._

And she’d be lying if she said Chon was completely unattractive to her. The scars on his face and body didn’t subtract from his undeniably captivating self. She also thought O was stunning on a different level.

_Well, this is going to be very interesting._

○

“Are you hungry?”

“I could eat.”

As he turned to walk into the small kitchen, he saw send an almost-smile to Chon.

He let her pass the threshold before he opened up the fridge door. She picked out a bag of grapes and a bottle of water. He knew she wasn’t going to be able to reach the bowls so he got one for her.

“Thanks.”

She set about picking the grapes from the branches, one by one. Ben met Chon’s glance as the vet leaned up against the fridge.

α

“So,” Chon started and Anissa turned her head to look at him, “What’s your deal?”

She turned her attention back to the grapes before she took a sip of her water.

He was starting to grow impatient. Then, she spoke.

“You wanna know my ‘deal’?”

The question itself wasn’t said in a mocking manner. He could see she understood why he had asked.

He made an affirmative noise.

∞

“I wanted to get away from my family. And I wanted to get out of Texas,” she read the looks on their faces, “In the last two years, the only time I’ve left the house for longer than a day was when I had to be admitted into a hospital.”

She grabbed her bowl of grapes and water bottle.

“That’s my deal,” she said as she walked out of the kitchen.

The Catholic in her chastised her actions ascending the stairs. She told her to go to hell when she closed the door behind her. The grapes and water were finished while she saw a movie on Netflix.

 She fell back to sleep after a while.

There was always tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made a tumblr for this fic ( runawaysavages.tumblr.com ) I haven't had the chance to edit it but it should be done tomorrow or the day after. Feel free to drop me a line there if ya want.


	4. Trois

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of a new day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made a tumblr for this fic: runawaysavages.tumblr.com

She woke up in a fog. At first, Anissa couldn’t remember why she was in a strange room in an equally strange bed. The 48 hours prior came back to her. She realized what had actually woken her up was the knocking from the other side of the bedroom doors. She reached back, under her pillow for her phone. **9:30**. _Fuck. Time to be nice._

“Door’s open,” she said while she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

She turned to see O who smiled a bit, her blonde hair loose, and blue eyes sparkling like the ocean itself.

“I didn’t know you were still asleep. Sorry.”

“I slept too much yesterday anyway. What’s up?”

O sat down on the edge of Anissa’s bed and faced her.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping with me. You’re gonna get cabin fever if you stay in this house too long.”

∞

She felt a bit out of place in the upscale shopping mall they went to. O shrugged off the stares directed at Anissa.

“I feel like someone’s going to ask me if I want a job or something.”

“It’ll be fine,” O laughed, “Maybe we’ll find something you like in one of these stores.”

She watched as O walked with purpose but at a slow pace. Anissa followed after her as she entered a store. The employees greeted O but ignored her.

_Fuck all ya’ll too._

Although she could agree the clothes in that particular store were nice, she was sure she’d never actually buy anything there. O appeared before her with a few hangers in her hand. When she saw Anissa held none, her brow furrowed some.

“Didn’t see anything you liked?” O inquired.

“No offense, O, but if I wore anything in here, I’d probably break out in hives.” Anissa whispered back.

“Alright, come on, you can be the judge of these.”

“I don’t know why you would need a judge.”

_You could make a damn potato sack look amazing._

Anissa found O’s attitude and smile infectious. So infectious she even tried a few things on in the other shops they went to. Although she always seemed to favor jewelry over clothes.

◊

Unbeknownst to Anissa, O had sneaked some clothes she noticed the younger woman liked. It wasn’t like she was paying attention. Her mind was obviously elsewhere. The blonde just really couldn’t help herself. Every time she saw the brunette, it was like looking as a very different version of Chon. Sure, Anissa hadn’t gone through the same things but she had an almost identical personality and similar mannerisms. Something told O that this girl wasn’t going anywhere any time soon and she was perfectly okay with that fact.

While they were shopping, she wondered what the boys were getting up to.

○

While Ben and Chon visited the grow house, he smiled when he remembered O’s excitement from that morning. Ben believed in the love she had for him and Chon but he supposed all the testosterone would drive any woman a little crazy. Chon seemed to be warming up to the idea of having another person sharing their home.

“So, how do you like our new houseguest?”

Chon gave him a look while Spin made an inquisitive noise.

“She’s-”

“Oh, it’s a ‘she’,” Spin interrupted, “Is she cute?”

“Why?” Both men asked in unison.

Ben knew why he’d asked the question. Even though he’d just met her a few days ago, he didn’t know how to explain the feeling he got when Spin sounded interested in her. Mindboggling still was the fact Chon had asked the same. The conspirator part of his brain whispered that it was because Chon had started to like her but if he was honest, he had too.

“So I guess that means she’s also unavailable, huh?” Spin asked.

“She’s probably too young for you anyway,” Chon replied gruffly.

Ben laughed at the face Spin pulled.

α

Chon was quiet on the ride back home. His mind tried to come up with reasons as to why he’d acted the way he did. There was no way he’d feel anything for her after just a few days and two very short conversations. He didn’t feel the need to keep her at arm’s length however. Probably couldn’t trust her with a gun though. There was just something there. Maybe they’d all come to realize it after week.

He still found it hard to believe someone could make them feel at ease without having done much of anything.

“Do you think we should go out to eat tonight?”

It took Chon a second to realize he’d been the one to ask the question.

He saw out of the corner of his eye where Ben tried to hide his smile but he heard it in his reply.

“I don’t see why not. So what’s the occasion?”

“Our new houseguest.”

∞

O got a call just as we exited the mall. Anissa didn’t pay much attention to it. She assumed the conversation wasn’t any of her business. That was until O’s voice broke her reverie.

“Looks like we’re going out tonight.”

“Huh? What for?”

“You. Besides, you haven’t actually eaten a decent meal. And this won’t be on your dime. It was apparently Chon’s idea.”

Anissa looked up at the sky, searching for dark clouds that usually brought rain with them.

“What are you doing?” O asked.

“Checking if there are signs of rain.”

Anissa turned to glance at O who had a confused look on her face.

“Sorry, it’s a joke.”

Both women got in the car.

“Really?” O asked as she started her car.

“It’s a…thing from back home,” Anissa supplied as she buckled her seat belt, “If someone does something another person finds out of character or strange, that person will say “It’s going to rain.” Or look out a window. Whichever one is convenient.”

“You probably have a different saying for every situation.” O laughed, pulling out of the parking space.

“Yeah, you could say that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for yet another short chapter. I blame anime and myself.


	5. Quatre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner and revelations, please?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Close to 1600 words here.

Chon’s head was fit to explode. His brain bombarding him with doubts and confirmations in equal measure. He was sure Ben could see it, too. The soldier in him was hesitant to trust her, to believe in that fiery innocence, but there was another part of him that just wouldn’t let him do that. She trusted enough and wasn’t as naïve as O. Anissa was a novelty to all of them, he knew. How could someone be so innocent yet not at all?

“Just how green do you think she is?”, he suddenly asked.

○

Ben didn’t know how to answer. He wasn’t all-knowing.

“Very, I think,” Ben replied, “But then again, it takes a certain kind of determination to do exactly what she did. And from what I know, she doesn’t have a job.”

Chon gave him a sideways glance.

“I highly doubt that she would do something like that.”

Ben, for whatever reason, could not fathom the thought of her doing _that_. Ben knew that Chon knew he was right.

“Carlos said she’d never been involved in anything illegal, never done anything illegal. Said she wasn’t the type. According to his sister, she just stays at home, bakes occasionally, likes to cook, kind of the artist of her family. She’s safe, literally.”

Ben looked at Chon out of the corner of his eye.

“You should already know all of this, though; you did the research.”

Chon made an affirmative noise.

∞

Anissa was a bit surprised when O pushed one of her shopping bags into her hands.

“What’s this?”, she asked slowly.

O grinned from ear to ear.

“Clothes for tonight,” the blonde proudly replied.

O walked out of Anissa’s room while she tossed a quick “I’ll be back” over her shoulder.

_But what if it doesn’t fit?_

The dress was simple, pretty and went well with the navy sandals that were also in the bag. She noticed O took extra care in removing price tags from her purchases before handing them to Anissa.

 _This was probably expensive_ , she thought, _God, I hope it fits._

10 minutes later, Anissa smoothed the fabric down. She was pleasantly surprised that it, in fact, did fit. She’d already undone one of her braids and was halfway through the other when O bounced back into her room.

 

[ ](http://www.polyvore.com/seaside_dinner/set?.embedder=13210527&.svc=copypaste&id=210352278)

◊

Anissa’s hair reached about two inches past her lower back. O couldn’t help but admire it.

“Doesn’t having like your hair that long get annoying?”, the blonde inquired.

She watched as the brunette’s reflection smiled.

“Believe it or not, there was once a time I had it _way_ longer,” O made a sound, “Yeah, I’ve known the struggle of having to make sure my hair wasn’t stepped on when I sat down.”

O couldn’t help it; she giggled.

“That’s crazy.”

“It was a thing. My sisters didn’t get their first hair cut until they got to first grade.” Anissa informed her.

O was envious of the shorter girl. It seemed she’d had the family life her and the boys might’ve wished they had. There was no resentment when Anissa spoke of them. O hoped she wouldn’t get homesick anytime soon. It was nice to have another girl in the house.

“How many siblings to you have?”, O asked.

“Four. The oldest is 35, 36. After 30, you kind of lose track,” the brunette replied.

O watched as she messed with her hair and put on a smidge of makeup. She’d been an only child, so had Ben and Chon. The blonde couldn’t help but imagine what it would have been like to have someone else to talk to about her absentee mother and the revolving door of men. She was brought back to reality when she faintly heard Anissa’s voice.

αO?” Anissa asked, genuinely concerned.

O shook the fog from her head and smiled at her.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

The blonde took a seat on her bed as they heard the front door open and close.

“ _Senor_ Grumpy-pants and Ben have arrived,” she looked at O suddenly, “Don’t tell him I said that.”

O laughed.

“Your secret is safe with me,” she said as she walked out.

Anissa stared at her reflection once again, unable to fully recognize that it was her and that she was in Laguna Beach.

_We’re probably gonna go to some fancy restaurant, too._

She slipped her feet into her sandals, left her jewelry on, and swiped her phone from atop her dresser. She exited her room and made her way downstairs. She found the group seemingly waiting for her.

“Ready?” Ben asked as she reached the bottom.

Anissa nodded and smiled.

“We’re going in Chon’s Jeep. Come on,” O said as she took her by the hand to lead her out.

α

“They’re getting along well.”

Chon didn’t have to turn around to see the smile on Ben’s face. It was the first smile he’d seen from her and he found it devastatingly disarming. There was no doubt then; they were all getting sucked in by her. She had no idea what she was doing.

“Do you think she knows about us?”, Chon asked.

He turned to look at the man behind him. For once, Ben was pensive as if it had never crossed his mind.

“Who knows,” he replied, “I don’t think it really matters to her.”

“Right.”

○

Ben thought about Chon’s question all the way to the restaurant. Anissa sat quietly in the backseat next to O who was busy talking quite animatedly as Chon humored her. What would she think of them if she knew? She was Catholic but the Buddhist hoped he was right in his judgement. O seemed to like her and Chon had already warmed up to her.

“What are you thinking about Ben?”, O asked.

“Huh? Uh…nothing.”

“That sounds very convincing,” Chon teased.

◊

O could tell there was something on Ben’s mind. She knew it was likely about Anissa. She’d gotten awfully quiet as soon as the car started. No doubt the girl was busy taking in the scenery.

The blonde wondered how long Anissa would be in California, how long would it take for all of them to get attached just to have to watch her go back home.

∞

When they got to the restaurant, Ben helped O out of the Jeep while Chon helped Anissa. Chon’s body heat was on a seriously different level as it lingered in the middle of the brunette’s back. It stayed there all the way to the table.

She watched as the trio ordered their drinks. She opted for water. The waiter was nice enough to leave them with the menu for a good 10 to 15 minutes before coming back to take their order.

 

 

The food arrived to the table shortly thereafter. Anissa decided to bring up the elephant hovering in the ozone.

“So…how long have you guys been together?” She inquired as she took the first bite of her food.

She saw where the trio looked at each other.

“I know you all know what I mean,” she said slowly.

“A few years,” Chon replied just as slow.

Anissa nodded in understanding. They left it at that. She looked at the pair that was still quiet.

“What? Just because I’m Catholic doesn’t make me automatically judge-y,” she stopped for a moment, “Well, kinda judge-y. But to be completely fair, following my intuition has kept me out of certain situations.”

She watched as Ben gave Chon the _I-told-you-so_ look. O smiled brightly at her. It was then that actual dinner conversation began. They asked her about her hometown of Laredo, asked about the people, culture. The trio asked her about her family and she told them how her parents were still married after thirty-some years.

Anissa spied the looks they sent each other’s way. She didn’t understand their relationship but she didn’t have to. They looked happy, were happy. She decided then that a polyamorous relationship could be just as successful and healthy as a monogamous one. She admired them for living in a way she felt she never could.

∞ ○ α ◊

Dinner was done but they still lingered, sitting at their table. They piled back into Chon’s Jeep with a sense of deep contentment. The car rolled to a stop in their driveway. Ben was just about to yell something when O put her hand over his mouth and shushed him. Chon looked back to see what her deal was to see Anissa had fallen asleep.

“She looks too adorable to wake up,” Ben remarked suddenly.

O agreed, nodding her head. They looked at Chon. He sighed.

“Fine but both of you are going to help getting her into bed.”

“Let’s not get to far ahead of ourselves,” Ben teased.

Chon opted to ignore him as he climbed out of his car. He opened the backdoor on his side carefully so as not to disturb the slumbering brunette. It wasn’t all that difficult to get her situated in his arms. Getting up the stairs was tricky; he made sure her head hit nothing at all on the way to her bed. O and Ben were already there, turning down the covers, and rearranging the pillows. Chon set the younger woman down, O removed the brunette’s sandals and covered her with the bed’s thin sheet.

The trio exited her room, variations of smiles on all their faces. They wandered out into the backyard to do what they did best. And when the night was through, they’d come down blissfully from their high, sated and at peace.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to P.A. for reminding me that I still have a fanfic brain-baby that needs tending to. Sorry I haven't updated, I was getting back to writing an original piece of fiction I haven't touched in to years but is near and dear to my heart.


	6. Cinq

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a tough couple of months for yours truly. Mental health issues followed by medical issues followed by not one but two family deaths in less than a month and a possible third in the coming weeks. Starting to think I need to take up smoking weed.  
> That being said, Happy 4/20 or belated 4/20.

Days passed and Anissa had already been in Laguna Beach for almost a month. She found herself growing accustomed to lazy days and Californian sunsets. She felt at ease. O always tried to get her out of the house and she succeeded every time. Ben talked to her in passing, testing the waters, she supposed. And then there was Chon. He wasn't as abrasive as the first day, but he never stopped watching her like a hawk. It felt strange to her. Nevertheless, she was beginning to like the odd trio.

○

Ben stared down from the kitchen balcony at the small figure sitting in one of the outdoor chairs. He wondered how long the young woman thought to stay. He could see how attached O was getting.

Ben didn't want to see anyone hurt. He heard someone behind him. He wasn't that surprised to see Chon.

"Hey."

Chon gave him a small nod.

Seconds passed before Chon spoke, breaking Ben's revere.

"What happens now?"

The brunet was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Ben. You know exactly what I mean."

 He watched as O sat down in the chair next to Anissa. The shorter of the two saw him when she turned and smiled before turning her attention back to the blonde. The pair's interaction made the wheels in his head turn.

"I don't know," he muttered.

∞

"You know what I've noticed?," the blonde asked.

The shorter girl decided to humor her and made a motion for the blonde to continue.

"Your face is really expressive, like I know exactly what you’re feeling just by looking at you.”

Anissa smiled sheepishly, “Gets me in trouble sometimes.”

_That’s what got me fired from Forever21. Those judge-y bitches._

She watched O smoke her pipe. She’d grown accustomed to watching them light up, and tend to their business. It almost didn’t bother her anymore.  _Almost._

As a teenager, she never understood how it was a normal for a teen to smoke weed or engage in underage drinking. Hell, the times she skipped school, she’d gone to least interesting place: the public library. As for drinking, well, she’d done that a few months before her 21st birthday, so it didn’t seem nearly as bad. Smoking she had never gotten into; she practically choked on cigarette smoke.

She turned her head to watch the sunset. It quickly became one of her favorite things. She never felt as free as she did in this moment, like all was right in the universe. She distinctly heard the hushed voices of Chon and Ben as they joined them outside. She watched, out of the corner of her eye, O smile at the pair.

“Hey,” the blonde said, smile still in place.

Anissa had seen that look the trio gave each other on her parent’s faces. Her oldest sister had one really bad relationship when she was 21, and another was stuck in a relationship going nowhere fast. She had  _one_  boyfriend in high school but he turned out to be a bit of an ass.

She shook the thought from her mind as she turned her head.

“What are you two doing out here?” Chon asked.

There was a slight grin playing across his face as he placed a hand on the back of O’s seat. She felt like an outsider at times like these. This house was their home and here she was, intruding on their safe haven.

○

Ben’s eyes traveled from Chon and O to Anissa. When she turned to him, her face held a clear ‘What?’ look to which he responded with a non-committal noise. Neither of them looked away, even when the younger woman’s eyes narrowed slightly. There was no threat behind them. He could tell by the way her eyes shone.

“Don’t flirt in front of us,” Chon joked, the dig directed at them.

He saw the color of her cheeks change.

It shouldn’t be so easy to feel something for someone so unknown. He understood his feelings for Chon and O; they'd all dealt with some form of dysfunction or other. Anissa had been sheltered from the outside world in a way. Her circle was small, which Ben found strange. She liked to meet new people, could make connections easily, but she didn't trust completely. She reminded Ben of Chon sometimes. He could tell there was always a part of her that was vigilant at all times. And then there are times she seems so much younger than her 22 years.

Ben saw how Chon would feel some way about her. Anissa was just the type of person to inspire that need to protect. O took a different approach, taking her out on "shopping sprees". He realized what O was doing even if she didn't: keeping the small creature from a pacing predator. He loved her more for it if that was possible. Being in such close quarters on a daily basis, there's bound to be a buildup of feelings none of them understood. The young woman was a virgin in only the physical aspect. O informed Ben and Chon of this on a night they'd shared a bed. Maybe she'd felt it as well.

∞

Anissa thought the pair was up to something. Nothing completely horrible, she had no reason to believe that.

Sometimes she stared at them for too long. She would be an idiot to say she hadn’t had a questionable dream about one or the entire trio. Her imagination honestly runs away with her and will most likely be the death of her. She doubted they thought the same of her. But then again, that was most likely her self-doubt creeping in. It happened often even as her face burned at Chon’s words.

_Flirting? Ha! I do not have the guts to do that._

The words stuck in her throat. Some things are just better kept to oneself. She blamed her lack of control over her face but her mouth also got her into trouble sometimes.

She watched O vacate her seat for Chon, only to sit in his lap, Ben remained between the chairs. Anissa still couldn’t shake the feeling there was something happening. She didn’t know what it was. Ben stared at her every now and again and Chon sent her little almost-smiles. She felt like she had dove head first down the rabbit hole.

How far down could she go? Would she?

**Author's Note:**

> ride or die:  
> the people in your life who are there through thick in thin. they'll do what it do to make it through with you. the ones that'll stick it through till the end


End file.
